Re: '75 Chevelle station wagon project

by 77mali Thu Dec 20, 2012 8:30 am

There's a special cleaning soap available from SEM paint for cleaning all the plastic & vinyl interior parts & they also have an adhesion promoter which might help you with those areas that came off. Get a couple of 3M scotch brite pads to use w/ the soap (the red/maroon ones are not course). I used them on my door parts prior to painting. They work well.

http://semproducts.com/product-catalog/prep-products/sem-soap/

http://semproducts.com/product-catalog/specialty-products/xxx/xxx-adhesion-promoter/

by dhw3971 Thu Dec 20, 2012 9:37 am

77mali wrote:There's a special cleaning soap available from SEM paint for cleaning all the plastic & vinyl interior parts & they also have an adhesion promoter which might help you with those areas that came off. Get a couple of 3M scotch brite pads to use w/ the soap (the red/maroon ones are not course). I used them on my door parts prior to painting. They work well.

http://semproducts.com/product-catalog/prep-products/sem-soap/

http://semproducts.com/product-catalog/specialty-products/xxx/xxx-adhesion-promoter/

I washed all the pieces with soap and water and then I used the SEM plastic and leather prep on all plastic parts before I sprayed them; it was recommended to me by the local auto paint shop. I then used a Preval sprayer to apply the paint. So far, so good.

by 77mali Thu Dec 20, 2012 9:48 am

Sorry dude- I didn't see the after pics!!!

Looks great!

LOL

by pila Thu Dec 20, 2012 2:54 pm

The wagon in Arizona........boy ! would I love to have that one !! Very Happy

by Brainstain Thu Dec 20, 2012 7:11 pm

I was just talking to a guy about painting the plastic in my wagon. Before I do that I'm going to try all the derby guys I know with them and see if I can get the wagon specific parts in brown out of them first.

by w451973 Thu Dec 20, 2012 7:15 pm

Let me know if any of them have parts from a 73-77 Vista Cruiser. I need 73-74 saddle brown interior stuff but always looking for other stuff.

by Mcarlo77 Fri Dec 21, 2012 12:24 am

There's a '77 Vista Cruiser w/blue interior sitting in a yard up here. This wagon even came with the Rally Gauge Cluster (sorry, I already pulled and sold it).

by Brainstain Mon Dec 24, 2012 6:39 pm

There were 2 76 Gutless wagons on CL about a month ago that were derby cars in Ohio. One was complete with no engine and the other was missing windows and some small stuff but he had most of it.

by dhw3971 Wed Sep 11, 2013 2:52 pm

Here's one of the wagon last summer at a show in Traverse City, MI. I'll get some more added as I've made some improvements.

https://i.servimg.com/u/f75/15/72/60/58/55316510.jpg

by dhw3971 Wed Sep 11, 2013 2:57 pm

Circa 1993 before she went away for a loooong nap.

https://i.servimg.com/u/f75/15/72/60/58/94286315.jpg

by dhw3971 Wed Sep 11, 2013 3:27 pm

'75 Chevelle station wagon project - Page 2 <a href=

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I wish I would have remembered to take a photo when the car was on the lift, but here's what I've cobbled together of my recent exhaust system rebuild. Gone are the headers and hooligan side pipes (as well as the excess noise and heat) and in their place a proper exhaust routed to the rear of the car. They made a nice little bend to go under the trans crossmember and even installed a surprise h-pipe. I'm using Flo-Pro mufflers and they give the ol' girl a nice growl.

They also replaced the engine mounts and that made a tremendous difference! The ride is smoooooth and a lot of vibrations and rattles have gone away.

Clearly I need a lot of degreaser in this area.... Shocked

by dhw3971 Wed Sep 11, 2013 3:28 pm

by dhw3971 Wed Sep 11, 2013 3:30 pm

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Nice work around the crossmember. No more low-hanging pipes.

by dhw3971 Wed Sep 11, 2013 3:30 pm

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by 77mali Thu Sep 12, 2013 6:01 am

Looks good. Where the heck have U been? LOL

by dhw3971 Thu Sep 12, 2013 8:51 am

I've just been cruising around in my "high school sweetheart" all summer! GoFast

I have a majority of the small problems finished so this year I've just been putting gas in the tank and having some fun. If funds allow I plan on having a new camshaft installed this fall. I work for a community college that has an auto technology program so I can get the work done only for the cost of parts.

by 1973 454 MONTE Thu Sep 12, 2013 9:14 am

my parents had a 77 wagon. at the time i hated it. now since im older (coughcough) they are starting to grow on me.

lookin good:thumbsup:

by dhw3971 Mon Feb 02, 2015 11:19 am

October 6: new camshaft installation begins. Within five minutes of delivery to the Northwestern Michigan College Auto Technology students, the hood was off and work began! A crew of two students is performing the work.

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'75 Chevelle station wagon project - Page 2 110

by dhw3971 Mon Feb 02, 2015 11:20 am

Time was not wasted tearing into the engine. I've removed the worn-out hood hinges and will send them out for a rebuild while the hood is off

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'75 Chevelle station wagon project - Page 2 210

by dhw3971 Mon Feb 02, 2015 11:24 am

Cylinder heads to be removed, new lifters to be installed and valve job performed.
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Floppy and worn-out timing chain (and gears) will be replaced. Fuel pump to be replaced as a preventative maintenance item.
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by dhw3971 Mon Feb 02, 2015 11:28 am

One head off, one to go.
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Head shows signs of valve seal failure...reasonable for a 40-year old engine with at least 150,000 miles. Heads will be topped with new chrome-plated valve covers with embossed Chevrolet logo.
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new camshaft, timing chain/gears installed. Heads have been spiffed up with a valve job
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test fitting the purty bits
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by dhw3971 Mon Feb 02, 2015 11:36 am

After a half-day of work learning to make ignition wires, my friend and I got her to this state. From what I've learned she's basically ready to hit the street except for some fine-tuning of the carb and ignition timing. The class instructor Wayne had her on the road on January 28th for a quick test drive and it sounds like she's got power like never before! He thinks a different torque converter would help with the new camshaft but he wants me to drive it first. The students are currently tracking down a transmission leak; the speedometer gear area may be the culprit. Once that is done the I'll be able to cross off several items from the Hot Rod To Do List.

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by 77mali Mon Feb 02, 2015 11:51 am

Nice!

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